Craig council takes up ACET

Officials plan to hold workshop about review of agency today

Craig  After a five-week hiatus during the holidays, the Craig City Council plans to start the new year where it left off — addressing concerns regarding the All Crimes Enforcement Team drug task force.

Craig city officials plan to host a public workshop about the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s independent review of the agency at 5:30 p.m. today at Craig City Hall.

City Manager Jim Ferree said CBI agent Curt Williams, who performed the ACET inquiry, will give a presentation at the workshop on his findings and recommendations of how to improve the task force.

According to ACET records, the ACET board already has adopted many of his suggestions.

The board includes high-ranking officials from the Craig Police Department, Moffat County Sheriff’s Office and Steamboat Springs Police Department, with assistance from the 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Hayden Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

Ferree said most ACET board members also plan to attend.

Craig city councilors began to question the agency — and, at times, criticize its leadership — after two Craig police officers assigned to the unit were investigated and brought up on criminal charges.

Former Detective Ken Johnson is scheduled for a jury trial May 24 after he pleaded not guilty to three felony charges in Moffat County District Court.

Bob Brabo, a Craig police officer assigned to replace Johnson on the task force after the detective was forced out, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft late last year after he was charged for stealing $500 in ACET drug buy money.

The meeting also comes shortly after Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall released a letter he wrote to Steamboat Police Chief J.D. Hays that was openly critical of ACET and its commander, Garrett Wiggins.

Wall’s office does not participate in the agency, which he and his letter stated was because he thinks the agency routinely abuses its power and violates residents’ constitutional rights.

Wall also said it appeared as if ACET and the Craig Police Department tried to hide the truth about Johnson’s actions and looked the other way as he broke the law and internal code of conduct policies.

Other local law enforcement officials were critical of Wall’s comments, which they said were politically motivated and not based in reality.

Wall and Wiggins ran against each other for Routt County sheriff in 2006, and Wiggins has filed papers to run against Wall again this year.